Balance steam-trap



#ENT QFFICE.

WIWI. M. DAVIS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BALANCE STEAM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,757, dated March 30, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WVM. MORRIS Davis, ofthe city of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful machine for the effectual discharge of water or other fluids formed by the condensation of steam, gases, or vapors in pipes, worms, jackets, or retorts as used in heating, evaporating, distillation, or other like purposes, at the same time to prevent the escape of said steam, gases, or vapors therefrom, which machine I term a Balance Steam-Trap; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the line of motion. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the line or center of motion. Fig; 4L is a vertical section at right angles to the line or center of motion. lFig. 5 is an end view of the cock B, C, which forms the axis, and shows the square head of the plug of said cock resting in the square socket head of its column Gr. l

In each of the figures the same letters are used to indicate similar parts wherever they occur. Y y

To enable others skilled in the art to make and vuse my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction, and mode of operation, presuming that 4it is applied for the discharge of condensed water and the retention of steam.

A is a steam tight vessel of cast or wrought iron or other proper material of suicient strength to resist t-he pressure of steam employed. From the top or cover of this vessel projects a square casting F which connects it with one side of the barrel of the cock B, thus forming the short arm of a lever whose vibration gives a rotatory motion to the barrel B upon the fixed plug C. This lever F is so constructed as to have two channels o-r passages 'within it a b, Fig. 3. One of said-channels terminates in the top of A, the other, or b is continued by the pipe 0 nearly to the bottom of A, This is the discharge pipe, and is thus carried near the bottom that the water always in A may cut off the escape of steam.

C is a shaft on which the hollow barrel of B rotates, while the shaft is held stationary by its square head resting in the socket head of column Gr, Fig. 5. This shaft is so constructed as to act as the plug of a cock working in B, and has. passages or channels from either end, opening into the channels a b in the lever F, through corresponding passages in the barrel B. One of t-hese passages a is the inlet pipe and serves to convey the steam and condensed water through a into A. This is so contrived by a groove in the circumference of C as to be always open into A, and offers an unobstructed passage to the steam and water. The other passage Z), is the outlet pipe for the discharge of water alone, and the openings in B and C are so arranged that they coincide and open passage for the escape of water, only when the weight of water in A causes the vessel to `serve to turn the barrel B on the plug C,

so as to close the passage when so much water has been driven from A, as to render it lighter than said counterpoise.

G G are columns on which the shaft C rests.

H is the stand of the whole.

I would here remark that this may be so constructed that the axis, C, resting on proper journals and connected with the hollow lever F, and the counterpoise lever D, in such manner as causes it to rotate in a fixed barrel placed upon the end b in this case b terminates in the form of a hollowV plug to a cock, or, again the discharge end b may terminate in a valve having openings so made as to correspond when in open position with like openings in a valve seat attached to the pipe leading off the condensed water, these varying forms being necessary in the dierent applications of the machine. Nor do I confine myself to its represented form, its support may be by' bracket, hanger or other suitable bearing, but I retain in all the application of a balance lever working on a center or fulcrum, the equilibrium of which may be disturbed by the accumulation of fluid, in one end of said lever, in such manner as to allow the escape of said fluid by openings on the circumference of a circle whose center coincides with the axis of said lever. Nor do I confine myself to a weighted lever to close the ope-ning when the balance is restored by the escape of the Huid. A spring or its equivalent may be used to eiect the same purpose.

The pressure of steam or vapor is not absolutely necessary to expel the water from, A, as the discharge pipe may be prolonged and so formed as to act as a siphon to draw off the fluid when the passage Z2 is opened.

Having thus described the various parts as shown in the drawings, I shall proceed tc show the'manner in which the machine operates. The discharge pipe from the heating pipes, worm or jacket in which steam is being condensed is connected (by a screw joint, flange, or any of the usual forms of making steam tight connections) with the end g of the plug shaft C. A pipe is connected with the opposite end of the shaft at h to carry ofi" the discharged water. The vessel A is now to be filled to a. little more than half its capacity with water. The counterpoise E is secured at such point on the lever D as just to balance the whole and maintain the lever in a level position. It is now ready for use. The steam and water together entering through the passage a a as indicated by the arrows, is discharged into the top of A. The steam will occupy the upper portion of the chamber, its escape being cut ofi' by the water which occupies the lower part of the chamber, and covers the end of the pipe c. When sufficient weight of water has accumulated in A to overcome the counterpoise E and the friction between the surfaces B and C, the loaded vessel will descend, thereby turning the barrel B upon the fixed plug C, until the openings b and b correspond and a passage is opened for the escape of water from A. The pressure of the steam on the surface of the water will expel it by the passage Z) b (as indicated by the arrows) until a point is reached when the weight E is sufficient to overcome the friction in B C, when the weight will sink the lower end D thereby turning the barrel B in an opposite direction thus closing the passage Z9 b against further escape of water, before it has sunk low enough to uncover the end of the pipe c. In this manner the escape of steam is effectually prevented. The counterpoise was adjusted with A half filled with water, so that half its capacity in weight of water is allowed, in both the upward and downward movement to overcome the necessary friction in the cock B C. y

Having thus described the nature of my invention, and its mode of operation,Iwould here remark that I lay no claim to the various parts separately, nor do I claim the forcing of the water through a submerged pipe, by the pressure of steam upon its surface thus forming a steam trap. But- That which I do claim and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is

The construction of a balanced lever, through which a passage to discharge the excess of condensation is opened by the weight of such excess, in the manner or an equivalent manner to that described.

WM. MORRIS DAVIS.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. FRENCH, BENJ. JACOBS. 

